The Original Yellow Boot™

The Original Yellow Boot™

It started 40 years ago with a boot called Timberland.

Founded on quality craftsmanship and Yankee ingenuity, that boot helped build a brand and set new standards in the footwear industry. Its quality, authenticity and rugged outdoor heritage continue—inspiring new collections for today. This website pays tribute to the yellow boots heritage and influence—to the icon that built a brand on this, its 40th anniversary in 2013.

Nathan Swartz started it all in 1952 with the Abington Shoe Company in South Boston. His two sons, Sidney and Herman, joined him a few years later and relocated the company to Newmarket, New Hampshire. In 1973, Sidney introduced one of the first waterproof leather boots of its kind. Incorporating premium full grain nubuck leather, thick rubber lug soles and unprecedented craftsmanship, the yellow boot was an instant classic. He named it the "Timberland".

Hard work and dedication are ingrained into not only our original yellow boot, but into every timberland® product.

Hard work and dedication are ingrained into not only our original yellow boot, but into every timberland® product.

What Makes an Icon?

What Makes an Icon?

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Padded Leather Collar

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Waterproof Leathers

The finest quality full-grain nubuck leathers are carefully cut and sewn to form the boot. Every seam is thoroughly sealed to ensure waterproof performance.

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4 Rows of Stitching

Multiple rows nylon stitching is used to resist rot, mildew and stress.

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The "Tree" Logo

The mark of quality, right there on the outside of the boot. Timberland was one of the first companies of its kind to boldly brand a product like this. Many discouraged Timberland from burning the logo onto the outside of the boot. They feared it would damage the leather and no one would want to buy. Turns out, the exact opposite happened.

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TASLAN® Laces

Some of the strongest, longest lasting laces around.

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Solid Brass Eyelets

The hex shape itself is iconic. The eyelets are rustproof and strong for years of wear.

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Glove Leather Linings

Full saddle glove leather lining encircles the foot for a more comfortable fit.

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Contoured Insole

It's cushioned and fully leather lined.

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Honey Lug Soles

Genuine quality crafted soles were designed to complement the yellow leather of the boot. Using injection molding, the soles are permanently bonded to the top of the boot to guarantee that feet will stay dry.

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Anti Fatigue Technology

Exclusive anti-fatigue technology is built into the midsole and uses geometric cone support to provide exceptional standing comfort, shock absorption and energy return all day.

Padded Leather Collar

Waterproof Leathers

The finest quality full-grain nubuck leathers are carefully cut and sewn to form the boot. Every seam is thoroughly sealed to ensure waterproof performance.

4 Rows of Stitching

Multiple rows nylon stitching is used to resist rot, mildew and stress.

The "Tree" Logo

The mark of quality, right there on the outside of the boot. Timberland was one of the first companies of its kind to boldly brand a product like this. Many discouraged Timberland from burning the logo onto the outside of the boot. They feared it would damage the leather and no one would want to buy. Turns out, the exact opposite happened.

TASLAN® Laces

Some of the strongest, longest lasting laces around.

Solid Brass Eyelets

The hex shape itself is iconic. The eyelets are rustproof and strong for years of wear.

Glove Leather Linings

Full saddle glove leather lining encircles the foot for a more comfortable fit.

Contoured Insole

It's cushioned and fully leather lined.

Honey Lug Soles

Genuine quality crafted soles were designed to complement the yellow leather of the boot. Using injection molding, the soles are permanently bonded to the top of the boot to guarantee that feet will stay dry.

Anti Fatigue Technology

Exclusive anti-fatigue technology is built into the midsole and uses geometric cone support to provide exceptional standing comfort, shock absorption and energy return all day.

Timberland Didn't Set Out To Create A New Fashion Icon.

Timberland Didn't Set Out To Create A New Fashion Icon.

Ad agency Marvin & Leonard created Timberlands first ad that was placed in The New Yorker magazine. The "Hillbillies" ad was controversial because the names of the stores carrying the boots were put into the ad without the store's permission.

The boot was first introduced in the United States.

The boot was first introduced in the United States.

Timberland didn't set out to create a new fashion icon. The yellow boot was born for a hard working New Englander. It was form, function and craftsmanship that inspired Timberland to create its yellow boot, not trends and runways. And remaining true to that authenticity is the very ideal that appealed to the fashion world's trend makers everywhere.

Eventually, selling to stores like Bloomingdales and Saks Fifth Avenue was the beginning of a whole new era of the yellow boot: the boot as fashion.

Soon the Yellow Boot became an icon in Europe...

The Timberland® brand was known for quality handsewn boat shoes in Europe in the early 1980s. But by the mid-1980s, everyone wanted to know more about the yellow boot. Timberland distributors attended shoe shows across the continent. The rugged, waterproof nubuck leather was like nothing else ever seen on display at these shows. Soon the yellow boot could be found at high-end sporting goods stores, department stores and men's fashion stores throughout Italy, the United Kingdom and Germany.

In Italy, the epicenter of the yellow boot explosion, the rise in popularity can in part be credited to the "Paninaro". The Paninaro movement in the early 1980s was a subculture of youths that were known for their regular hangouts at the "Al Panino" bar—a popular sandwich and burger joint in Milan's Via Agnello district. They chose the yellow boot as a cornerstone of their fashionable style. By the mid-1980s, the yellow boot was adopted into popular culture in Italy, appealing to a consumer-driven middle class that was searching for a "Made in the USA" look.

In asia, the boot now stands as a symbol of individuality.

Urban hip-hop style first started in Hong Kong in 1985, then swept through Japan. It brought along with it a surge in demand for the yellow boot. The fashion was heavily influenced by American hip-hop culture that incorporated the yellow boot. Over the years, the boot has grown into a symbol of independence for many young adults in Asia.

Boot Your Dream

To many, wearing the yellow boot means you're ready to chase your dreams. That's exactly what the "Boot Your Dream" project was meant to inspire in Taiwan, rallying thousands of young people to pledge their commitment to pursuing their own dreams.

Over the Years,the Boot Gained a Following

"Timberland is an all-american brand focused on work, utility and the outdoors, that managed to find a place in the fashion world as well."

- Pharrell Williams

From singer-songwriter, rapper and producer to fashion designer and author - Pharrell Williams does it all. With a style and collaborative spirit all his own, he's carved out a unique path for his vision of popular culture.

"Out of all the boots, the yellow boot or 'Construction Tim' was the fresh and fly boot. Just as fly as a sneaker!"

- Nas

Hip-hop artist and actor Nas is an icon in his own right, selling more than 15 million records in the United States since 1994. He remembers the boot as New York City's "official" footwear. Strong. Ready for anything.

"As a girl who was coming into my own as a tomboy it was cool to be able to be fashionable, but still in tune with my own tomboy style... It makes me sort of feel invincible."

- Va$htie Kola

Va$htie Kola, a.k.a. "Downtown's Sweetheart," is a true-to-form New York Renaissance woman. Known for her vision as a music video director, she's also a designer, artist and fashion-forward thinker who in 2008 created her own "casual and couture" clothingline, VIOLETTE. She's been sporting the yellow boot since the 1990s and remembers the confidence she drew from the Timberland classic.

"As a youth, they allowed me to create my own identity."

- Humberto Leon

Humberto Leon is the co-founder of Opening Ceremony, an internationally known niche fashion boutique with stores in New York, London, Los Angeles and Tokyo. For Leon, the yellow boot offered him a way to grow into his own personality as a teenager and develop his own style.

"You could chill out in a hot club & look fly with that boot. And you could work at a construction site with the boot all scuffed and look even better."

- David Z.

Footwear titan David Zaken opened his first David Z. shoe store in 1983. Since then, David Z. has become synonymous with offering quality and fashion to New York City shoppers. In his eyes, the yellow boot's iconic status comes from its versatility.

"No matter what the trends are, or how fashion ebbs & flows, they've always remained true."

- jeffstaple

jeffstaple knows a thing or two about how icons evolve. His clothing collection, the Staple Apparel Collection, has developed over the last 10 years into a hallmark of street culture. He sees the yellow boot as much more than just a fashion trend.

Over the Years,the Boot Gained a Following

"Timberland is an all-american brand focused on work, utility and the outdoors, that managed to find a place in the fashion world as well."

- Pharrell Williams

From singer-songwriter, rapper and producer to fashion designer and author - Pharrell Williams does it all. With a style and collaborative spirit all his own, he's carved out a unique path for his vision of popular culture.

"Out of all the boots, the yellow boot or 'Construction Tim' was the fresh and fly boot. Just as fly as a sneaker!"

- Nas

Hip-hop artist and actor Nas is an icon in his own right, selling more than 15 million records in the United States since 1994. He remembers the boot as New York City's "official" footwear. Strong. Ready for anything.

"As a girl who was coming into my own as a tomboy it was cool to be able to be fashionable, but still in tune with my own tomboy style... It makes me sort of feel invincible."

- Va$htie Kola

Va$htie Kola, a.k.a. "Downtown's Sweetheart," is a true-to-form New York Renaissance woman. Known for her vision as a music video director, she's also a designer, artist and fashion-forward thinker who in 2008 created her own "casual and couture" clothingline, VIOLETTE. She's been sporting the yellow boot since the 1990s and remembers the confidence she drew from the Timberland classic.

"As a youth, they allowed me to create my own identity."

- Humberto Leon

Humberto Leon is the co-founder of Opening Ceremony, an internationally known niche fashion boutique with stores in New York, London, Los Angeles and Tokyo. For Leon, the yellow boot offered him a way to grow into his own personality as a teenager and develop his own style.

"You could chill out in a hot club & look fly with that boot. And you could work at a construction site with the boot all scuffed and look even better."

- David Z.

Footwear titan David Zaken opened his first David Z. shoe store in 1983. Since then, David Z. has become synonymous with offering quality and fashion to New York City shoppers. In his eyes, the yellow boot's iconic status comes from its versatility.

"No matter what the trends are, or how fashion ebbs & flows, they've always remained true."

- jeffstaple

jeffstaple knows a thing or two about how icons evolve. His clothing collection, the Staple Apparel Collection, has developed over the last 10 years into a hallmark of street culture. He sees the yellow boot as much more than just a fashion trend.

Over the Years,the Boot Gained a Following

"Timberland is an all-american brand focused on work, utility and the outdoors, that managed to find a place in the fashion world as well."

- Pharrell Williams

From singer-songwriter, rapper and producer to fashion designer and author - Pharrell Williams does it all. With a style and collaborative spirit all his own, he's carved out a unique path for his vision of popular culture.

"Out of all the boots, the yellow boot or 'Construction Tim' was the fresh and fly boot. Just as fly as a sneaker!"

- Nas

Hip-hop artist and actor Nas is an icon in his own right, selling more than 15 million records in the United States since 1994. He remembers the boot as New York City's "official" footwear. Strong. Ready for anything.

"As a girl who was coming into my own as a tomboy it was cool to be able to be fashionable, but still in tune with my own tomboy style... It makes me sort of feel invincible."

- Va$htie Kola

Va$htie Kola, a.k.a. "Downtown's Sweetheart," is a true-to-form New York Renaissance woman. Known for her vision as a music video director, she's also a designer, artist and fashion-forward thinker who in 2008 created her own "casual and couture" clothingline, VIOLETTE. She's been sporting the yellow boot since the 1990s and remembers the confidence she drew from the Timberland classic.

"As a youth, they allowed me to create my own identity."

- Humberto Leon

Humberto Leon is the co-founder of Opening Ceremony, an internationally known niche fashion boutique with stores in New York, London, Los Angeles and Tokyo. For Leon, the yellow boot offered him a way to grow into his own personality as a teenager and develop his own style.

"You could chill out in a hot club & look fly with that boot. And you could work at a construction site with the boot all scuffed and look even better."

- David Z.

Footwear titan David Zaken opened his first David Z. shoe store in 1983. Since then, David Z. has become synonymous with offering quality and fashion to New York City shoppers. In his eyes, the yellow boot's iconic status comes from its versatility.

"No matter what the trends are, or how fashion ebbs & flows, they've always remained true."

- jeffstaple

jeffstaple knows a thing or two about how icons evolve. His clothing collection, the Staple Apparel Collection, has developed over the last 10 years into a hallmark of street culture. He sees the yellow boot as much more than just a fashion trend.

Creative Collaborations Add to the Boot's Iconic Status.

Creative Collaborations Add to the Boot's Iconic Status.

David Z. X Timberland

August 1998

David Z. shoe stores have been a part of the downtown New York scene for decades. This all-grey version of the boot was inspired by the stores reputation of standing apart from its competitors.

Concepts X Timberland

April 2009

Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Concepts specializes in rare and emerging products from the world's most respected brands. They used textured leather on the iconic 6" boot.

Colette X Timberland

July 2009

Colette, located at 213 rue Saint-Honore in Paris, invites its customers to encounter modern and original fashion, high-tech, arts, streetwear and beauty products. With Colette, the classic shape of the 6" boot remained the same and "colette blue" laces, stitching and collar were added.

Opening Ceremony X Timberland

Fall 2013

For multinational fashion retailer Opening Ceremony, Timberland® customized the 6" boot with an unexpected and sporty elastic lacing system. These Convenience Boots came with two sets of interchangeable laces.

Staple Design X Timberland

October 2007

The Chinese New Year Timberland® Boot was created with New York-based Staple Design, one of the most respected street culture apparel brands that built their reputation by mixing street-minded and high-end fashions.

Undefeated X Timberland

Fall 2009

Undefeated collaborated on three 6" boots, focusing on quality construction and durable performance. The boots featured premium suede on the vamp and Cordura® fabric panels. They were available in three colorways—sand, black and olive green—with the Timberland logo embossed on the side and the Undefeated logo below it. They were sold at Undefeated stores in both Los Angeles and Tokyo.

Mastermind Japan X Timberland

November 2011

Masaaki Homma from mastermind came together with Timberland to produce a limited run of the original Timberland® boot. The details it featured included a front zipper closure, twisted lace endings, a mastermind JAPAN logo stamped on the heel, a skull and crossbones logo embossed on the left tongue and a goldtone pin clutching the side of the shoe.

Mark McNairy X Timberland

October 2012

American designer Mark McNairy, known for his collection called Mark McNairy New Amsterdam, collaborated with Timberland to create a 6" premium boot in tan suede.

Bee Line X Timberland

Spring 2013

Timberland and Pharrell Williams collaborated to create a Bee Line Billionaire Boys Club 6". boot in an exclusive version featuring olive/army colors.

George Tokoro X Timberland

Fall 2013

Japanese celebrity, singer-songwriter, comedian, master of ceremonies and writer George Tokoro added his unique perspective to the boot using color and a removable leather tongue cover.

Atmos X Timberland

October 2010

Japanese retailer atmos collaborated with Timberland on the women's classic 6" boot. It came in black suede with gold eyelets and multicolor rainbow laces. Inside, atmos added a polka dot lining to the boots.

Stussy X Timberland

Fall 2013

California-based Stussy joined forces with Timberland to create a side-zip boot built with premium leather materials and finished with iconic Stussy details, like a high-definition logo.

Tommy X Timberland

Fall 2013

American fashion brand Tommy, known for the use of bold colors, collaborated with Timberland to create a red women’s 6". boot that featured the Tommy signature on both the tongue and the leather diamond tag.

LuisaViaRoma X Timberland

Fall 2013

Italian luxury fashion brand Luisa ViaRoma chose three colors to use on the 6" boot. Each of these boots made for men, women and kids had contrasting laces, collars, stitching and eyelets.

David Z. X Timberland

August 1998

David Z. shoe stores have been a part of the downtown New York scene for decades. This all-grey version of the boot was inspired by the stores reputation of standing apart from its competitors.

Concepts X Timberland

April 2009

Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Concepts specializes in rare and emerging products from the world's most respected brands. They used textured leather on the iconic 6" boot.

Colette X Timberland

July 2009

Colette, located at 213 rue Saint-Honore in Paris, invites its customers to encounter modern and original fashion, high-tech, arts, streetwear and beauty products. With Colette, the classic shape of the 6" boot remained the same and "colette blue" laces, stitching and collar were added.

Opening Ceremony X Timberland

Fall 2013

For multinational fashion retailer Opening Ceremony, Timberland® customized the 6" boot with an unexpected and sporty elastic lacing system. These Convenience Boots came with two sets of interchangeable laces.

Staple Design X Timberland

October 2007

The Chinese New Year Timberland® Boot was created with New York-based Staple Design, one of the most respected street culture apparel brands that built their reputation by mixing street-minded and high-end fashions.

Undefeated X Timberland

Fall 2009

Undefeated collaborated on three 6" boots, focusing on quality construction and durable performance. The boots featured premium suede on the vamp and Cordura® fabric panels. They were available in three colorways—sand, black and olive green—with the Timberland logo embossed on the side and the Undefeated logo below it. They were sold at Undefeated stores in both Los Angeles and Tokyo.

Mastermind Japan X Timberland

November 2011

Masaaki Homma from mastermind came together with Timberland to produce a limited run of the original Timberland® boot. The details it featured included a front zipper closure, twisted lace endings, a mastermind JAPAN logo stamped on the heel, a skull and crossbones logo embossed on the left tongue and a goldtone pin clutching the side of the shoe.

Mark McNairy X Timberland

October 2012

American designer Mark McNairy, known for his collection called Mark McNairy New Amsterdam, collaborated with Timberland to create a 6" premium boot in tan suede.

Bee Line X Timberland

Spring 2013

Timberland and Pharrell Williams collaborated to create a Bee Line Billionaire Boys Club 6". boot in an exclusive version featuring olive/army colors.

George Tokoro X Timberland

Fall 2013

Japanese celebrity, singer-songwriter, comedian, master of ceremonies and writer George Tokoro added his unique perspective to the boot using color and a removable leather tongue cover.

Atmos X Timberland

October 2010

Japanese retailer atmos collaborated with Timberland on the women's classic 6" boot. It came in black suede with gold eyelets and multicolor rainbow laces. Inside, atmos added a polka dot lining to the boots.

Stussy X Timberland

Fall 2013

California-based Stussy joined forces with Timberland to create a side-zip boot built with premium leather materials and finished with iconic Stussy details, like a high-definition logo.

Tommy X Timberland

Fall 2013

American fashion brand Tommy, known for the use of bold colors, collaborated with Timberland to create a red women’s 6". boot that featured the Tommy signature on both the tongue and the leather diamond tag.

LuisaViaRoma X Timberland

Fall 2013

Italian luxury fashion brand Luisa ViaRoma chose three colors to use on the 6" boot. Each of these boots made for men, women and kids had contrasting laces, collars, stitching and eyelets.

One-of-a-Kind Works of Art.

One-of-a-Kind Works of Art.

Artists are drawn to the simplicity and authenticity of the yellow boot. Whether on their own or within sponsored projects, artists found the yellow boot to be the perfect canvas for expression.

The Boroughs Project

Envisioning the boot as a canvas was at the core of the Boroughs Project in New York City. In 2007, jeffstaple recruited five celebrated local artists, one from each of the New York City boroughs: Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Staten Island and Queens. Four of the submissions featured interpretations of the yellow boot. In the ultimate expression of authenticity, each of these artists designed a boot that best represented their neighborhood and their artistic medium. The result was a stunning collection of 6" boots that are uniquely New York.

Manhattan

jeffstaple, designer

Staten Island

RZA, musician

The Bronx

Chris Mendoza, painter and line artist

Brooklyn

David “Skwerm” Ellis, artist and filmmaker

Manhattan

The Boroughs Project

jeffstaple, designer

Staten Island

The Boroughs Project

RZA, musician

The Bronx

The Boroughs Project

Chris Mendoza, painter and line artist

Brooklyn

The Boroughs Project

David “Skwerm” Ellis, artist and filmmaker

The Ginza Project

In celebration of a new store opening in Ginza, Japan in 2003, five young Asian artists were given the yellow boot as a starting point for creating something unique. Using a mixture of fabrics, designs and mediums, the artists produced an exclusive collection of boots that remains true to the authenticity of the yellow boot.

MultiColored Boot

Hairy Boot

Cloud Boot

Stray Dog Boot

Red Boot

MultiColored Boot

The Ginza Project

Hairy Boot

The Ginza Project

Cloud Boot

The Ginza Project

Stray Dog Boot

The Ginza Project

Red Boot

The Ginza Project

In 2004, Everyone Became an Artist.

Boots crafted with premium waterproof leather and built for durable, long-lasting quality can be customized in millions of ways. Everything from the color of leather down to embroidery on the tongue and heel, color of the soles and type of hardware finish—almost every imaginable detail­—can be altered to personalize the Yellow Boot.

With the launch of Timberland's online customization tool, customers became boot designers.

Pull On Your Boots & Make a Difference.

Timberland's culture of service can be traced back to 50 pairs of its yellow boot.

In 1989, an emerging nonprofit organization out of Boston, Massachusetts sent up a request for 50 pairs of boots to outfit their corps of young volunteers. City Year's request was granted by then Chief Operating Officer, Jeffrey Swartz, the son of founder Sidney Swartz. Inspired by City Year's commitment to service, Jeffrey established the Path of Service™ program in 1992. Today, full-time Timberland employees get 40 paid hours for community service.

The program still thrives, with Timberland employees donating time to plant trees in the Horqin Dessert in inner Mongolia, build hiking trails in Munich and rehabilitate public spaces in the Bronx, to name but a few.

Darfur

In 2005, Timberland partnered with Academy Award nominee Don Cheadle, and SaveDarfur.org to raise awareness about the atrocities of genocide occurring in Darfur. An exclusive Stomp Out Genocide boot was created as part of the highly successful campaign, placing the Timberland footprint on another cause born out of the company's commitment to social responsibility.

Darfur

In 2005, Timberland partnered with Academy Award nominee Don Cheadle, and SaveDarfur.org to raise awareness about the atrocities of genocide occurring in Darfur. An exclusive Stomp Out Genocide boot was created as part of the highly successful campaign, placing the Timberland footprint on another cause born out of the company's commitment to social responsibility.

Clara Barton - 9/11

When Timberland employees arrived at the Clara Barton school in the Bronx in 2001, they were ready to serve, equipped with paint brushes and tools; their yellow boots laced up tight. They had no way of knowing that their lives would be forever changed that sunny late-summer day on September the 11th. As the day's events unfolded they continued to work alongside their fellow volunteers from Timberland partner organizations.

Every year since then, a dedicated group of volunteers returns to complete different projects in the Bronx on September 11th, once again ready to serve and once again, with their yellow boots laced up tight.

Hurricane Katrina

In the wake of 2005's Hurricane Katrina, 400 members of the Timberland community gathered in and around New Orleans to offer their services to people devastated by the storm. After putting in a full day of work, Timberland employees toured the infamous Ninth Ward, one of the communities hardest hit by the wrath of Katrina. Passing a tent full of donated goods, one of the employees decided to take off his boots and leave them behind for someone in need. The sentiment quickly took hold and before long, hundreds of pairs of Timberland® boots filled the tent.